The question that most single, older women ask is, “Where do we find single, age appropraite men?” The answer is simple. The golf course.

Golf is the male midlife sport of choice. The game fits them perfectly. It doesn’t command they have physical strength or 6-pack abs (you’ll see that for yourself when you visit a golf course). They don’t have to move fast. In fact, I have followed male foursomes that I swore had snail ancestory. They don’t have to be good golfers, just good betters. And, what all men relish – they can tell all the jokes and quips they’ve learned throughout their lifetimes and still have hours of time to to brag about their good and ugly shots in the bar after the rounds.

Contrary to what you may have been told, men do like to golf with women. But before you hit the links take a few lessons. They do get a little cranky when you whiff the ball more times than not. You don’t need to be a good player (whatever that means in our world of amateurs). You just need to know the game’s basic rules, pick up your ball when you see you’re falling behind, and offer to buy the first round drinks when the beverage cart comes your way.

I know, there are different ways to meet men, like online dating, blind dates, hanging out in bars, or running your grocery cart into them on aisle two. All those tactics take time and after a couple of dates you may realize you’ve wasting your time with him. In a matter of four hours on the golf course a woman can learn important traits of potential mates:

Sense of Humor: Nothing turns on a woman more than a guy who can make her laugh. If he makes you, and others, laugh at his funny self-depricating remarks about his game, he probably has a healthy ego.

Class: Is he dressed in clean, crisp golf appropriate clothes or blue jeans with a tee shirt 3 sizes too small? Does he clean his golf ball with a wet towell or with his spit? Does he plan his toilet breaks to coincide with the courses’ bathrooms or does he disappear into the shrubs without notice? If yes is answered to these questions before or, then chances are good that he has class.

Intelligence: Golf is a game that needs to be planned. Using a putter to tee up on a 450 yard fairway is generally considered unwise. But hitting with a three-wood instead of a driver is acceptable. In essence there are guidelines, but they depend on the golfer’s skill level or game plan. Ending with a good score doesn’t mean every shot was good. A bogie score on one hole can be off-set by a birdie on the next. Like life, mistakes are always made. It’s the final score that counts.

Temperament: Golf brings out one’s true personality. If he throws his club at the nearest tree after a bad shot, I’d say run.

Honesty: Golf is known as the Gentleman’s Game. Be wary if you see a guy nonchalantly drop a ball in the area where he thought his ball landed and then declare it found.

Generosity: At the end of the round, look to see if he tips the young man who cleaned his clubs. If he doesn’t pull out $5 he has issues parting with his money, let alone sharing it.

I’ve listed five reasons for single, middle-aged women to play golf. There are many more; like meeting new people (men and women), enjoying the beauty of the courses, and being reminded that we are all human, so even the best plan doesn’t always have the best result. So we wake up the next day and try it again.